Introduction of Tommy Boy
by TommyBoybbi
Summary: 1984 movie, Dr. Buckaroo Banzai is looking for members to join him and his friend to create the Hong Kong Cavaliers and start his Institute


  


So You Are Tommy Boy?  
  
  
  
  
In a Victorian house not far from downtown New Brunswick, a young man is in his bedroom studying for a medical exam. Sitting at his desk with a lone lamp on, he was going through his books of anatomy and naming nerves and tissue areas of the brain.   
  
A knock comes to his door. For the medical student, he rarely broke from his studies when he was intensely in his books.   


"Hey Buckaroo," came to the medical student through the wooden door.  


"Come in." a voice deep in thought answered back to the intruder.  
  
A man dressed in jeans, cowboy boots and a blue buffalo plaid shirt with red hair walks into the room with several file folders in his hand.  


"Looks like your studying is going well. Missed you at dinner," the cowboy remarked to his studying comrade.  


Buckaroo took off his glasses and stretched out his facial muscles. He had been looking over the books most of the evening. "I'll fix something later. How are you doing Rawhide?. Haven't seen you other than in passing the last few days."  


"Been doing okay. I have the files here of the people I think could help start our project." He sat down in a lazy boy chair by the desk and handed the files over to his friend.  
  


Buckaroo turned his attention to the folders, scanning over the four individuals that his friend profiled for him. One stood out above the others to him. "Valerie Frenwick. Says presently unknown for her address," he commented to his friend that was stretching out in the chair.  


"There is a lot more there than printed. Her mother died when she was 12. Her father committed suicide when she was 17. She ran away the day after the funeral. No one has seen her since in the family. Her grandmother, the matriarch of the family, has not heard from her. She has detectives looking for her. I've however have talked to a few of her friends and they seem to be cooperating with me. I'm working on leads now."  
  
"By what you have here in this file, she fills our qualifications." Buckaroo said in looking at her file again. He commented to Rawhide, "her work at MIT for computer science shows that she can more than help us design the computer and communication system we'll need. She studied in martial arts and tested with honors at all her competitions."  
  
"And she plays bass and synthesizers. She would be a nice addition to the band." Rawhide added.  
  
Rawhide gave a slight smile. Their band was growing. Slugo was showing an aptitude for the drums. A bass player would be nice to have.  


  


Buckaroo looked over Rawhide, "Keep on this, I would like to meet with her. Maybe we can offer something that she is looking for."  
  
**********  


I was 19 when Buckaroo and Rawhide came looking for me. For the past year I had been living on my own, having run away after my father's death. I was rebelling against my grandmother and family name for reasons at the time were my own.   
  
I had lived on Long Island all my life. I traveled the New England area, moving when ever I heard that someone was asking questions about me. My grandmother had hired detectives to search for me. I relocated about every two months. I had bought a motorcycle and traveled with only a back pack. Travel light had become my moto.  
  
In the late fall I found a boarding house in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I found work by way of a recommendation of friends at a garage that repaired older cars. I tinkered with my brothers cars growing up, so being a grease monkey was a hobby. The owner was impressed with my knowledge. He didn't mind having me around the place.  
  
After about a month on the job, a jeep pulled up outside and two men got out. They asked questions of my friend Rob, the garage manager. I had warned him that people might come around looking for me courtesy of my grandmother. I was partially under a car so I was hidden from the men.   
  
One guy was a smartly dressed man in glasses, he asked the questions while the other, a cowboy, nosed around the shop. I had drawn up under the car to remain hidden. The smart dressed guy ended his questioning with Rob, and handed him a card, 'If you hear anything.' The men regrouped and got in their jeep. When they pulled away, I came moved out from under the car.  
  
"They are not private detectives. Looks like they seriously want to talk to you." Rob liked the guy. He had been running the shop for over 20 years and could read a person.  
  
Buckaroo Banzai. The card read. I stuck it in my pocket. I went back to work on the car. I would ponder the matter after finishing working on the car.   
  
After work, I went to my room at the boarding house. The boarding house offered protection for my motorcycle and the land lady liked me for I paid in advance and kept my room picked up.  
  
I pulled out the card and looked at the name. I had heard the name before. Where?? Medical Journals. He was a top notch student. I mentally went through friends that were going into the field. I remembered a friend that was attending NYU as pre-med.. I had her number at her apartment.  
  
Tatum answered her phone. "Buckaroo Banzai. The man is totally dreamy." she said over the phone  
  
"What's his deal?" I asked her. Not knowing much about this Buckaroo Banzai. I had heard that he was a doctor that was about it. Why was he looking for me.  
  
"He's finishing up at Columbia P & S. He has perfected several new technics in neurosurgery. The man is a dream to look at and very intelligent. I heard that he is looking for people to help start up a think tank. What brings this up?"  
  
"He came by asking questions about me."  
  
"He's interested in you. Maybe that piece you did on computers shaping the economy while at MIT."  
  
"Don't know, I guess I'll call him and find out. Thanks Tatum."

I hung up with her and still fingered the card. The card listed a number in the New Brunswick area. It wasn't to far to go. 'Guess I'll pay him a visit.' I told myself. I went off to bed pondering what a neurosurgeon wanted with me.  
  
***********

The next morning I called the number on the card and got al older lady. "Dr. Buckaroo Banzai's," said a sweet voice.  
  
"Yes, Dr. Banzai had left a message for me to call him. I'm Valerie Frenwick."  
  
The lady took a minute to answer back then I was connected to a male voice. "Miss Frenwick. I'm Rawhide, Dr. Banzai is currently in class." 'Must be the Cowboy.' I thought back to the two men who questioned Rob.  
  
"I can call back...." I started to say.  
  
"No. Dr. Banzai and I would like to meet with you if possible." He sounded a bit to eager for my taste.  
  
"Our meeting will have to be on my terms." I told him. I wanted to control the situation and site. I never could tell if my grandmother would have a trap, elaborately planned.  
  
"Within reason." Rawhide said with a warning glare in his voice..  
  
I took that was 'don't try my patience.' "Meet by the river in Elizabeth River Park. Near the main parking lot there is a trail to the river, follow it to the benches. I'll meet you there. " A public place with people moving about is what I wanted.   
  
Rawhide wrote down the instructions. " I don't see a problem in that. How about two o'clock tomorrow?"  
  
"Look forward to it. See you then." I hung up the phone and asked myself again 'what did they want with me?'  


  


***********  


  


The two men that I would know to be Buckaroo Banzai and Rawhide were at the park at the appointed time. They walked to the river and went to the benches over looking the flowing water. The Cowboy stood looking in either direction of the passerby's. The smart dressed man looked to be telling his friend something.  
  
To me Rawhide was the nervous type, looking all around. Checking out what was around them. I know that feeling to, trying to keep my grandmothers detectives off me for over a year had made me a suspicious person also.   
  
'One looks like a model and the other looks like he should have a horse with him,' I thought. Then looking at the two, if it was a trap by my grandmother I couldn't take on both. I had to trust the situation.  
  
I roller bladed to where they were standing. I had picked to wear a pair of good jeans, a red sweater, and pulled my blond hair back into a pony tail. I looked like the average girl, out having some fun.  
  
I approached them with what confidence I could muster. "Hello, Dr. Banzai. Rawhide." I could see them look me up and down. "Valerie Frenwick."  
  
Dr. Banzai, the smart dressed one, offered his hand for a hand shake. Rawhide offered his hand and said howdy ma'am. They walked while I rolled down the walkway, talking as we went.  
  
"You were looking for me?" I opened the conversation.  
  
"To see if you would be interested in a proposition." Buckaroo offered up.  
  
"My first question is why me?'  
  
"First I saw your writings from MIT. Computers are the wave of the future and society needs to be ready for it. Secondly, in looking into your background you have an interest in music and working on challenges."  
  
"The proposition is?"  
  
"Join myself and Rawhide in starting up an institute that will incorporate my ideologies. People to come and learn on their free will without government pressure on matters that will help the world undo what it has done to harm it. With that I need a core group that can develop standards and help run the institute in the advance technology. Your computer savvy is known well in circles. Plus I'm interested in starting a music group and you play several instruments.."  
  
Apparently they had done a serious background check on her. Valerie looked at him. "You know much about me."  
  
Rawhide came in on this, "when considering anyone to work with us, a complete check is done on the history of the person. Yours is pretty clean. Other than you ran away from home before you were 18."  
  
I looked at him, "for reasons at this time to be left alone, I ran away from a house with no love. I was about to turn 18 when I left Ms. Tabatha Frenwick. She has no hold on me." My anger rose at the thought of her name.  
  
Rawhide had caught a glance of it. Buckaroo brought my attention back to him, "That is something else we would like to talk to you about. You went into hiding, we would like to offer a new identity for you. Officially change your name, and all that goes with it. We would notify your grandmother that you are well and such but at this time you still would like to keep your affairs your own. And tell her any further interference she would be dealing with my lawyers that would very easily out do hers."  
  
I was taken aback. They would do that for me. Help me get started and help me stay away from the family? "Why me?" a very serious question.  
  


Buckaroo looked at me, a young lady in front of him. "You made the best of situations that people of handed you. You have continued working on your physical self, I met your current instructor, and you continue to work on your computer concepts. You are strong within."  


For once someone complemented me for my will. Before I had been told I was head strong. But in my family, I and my brother Andy could never do anything right, even if we won first prize.  
  
"It sounds an offer that is to good to be true." I commented. "What am I expected to do?"  
  
"Set up a computer system and maintain it. Become Rawhide's assistant for he will be adding additional members. We are looking for land to build our institute on. Then the building of it and keeping pace of expansion." I saw a "but" in his eyes.  
  
"I must tell you however, joining me will not be just these jobs. I have a strong urge to keep the world in the right. To help correct what man has done to the world. And that includes in finding and hindering a man that I personally know is harming the world as we know it. Hanoi Xan has many times created situations that have harmed the world in many places. Along with what he stands for, there is a blood feud between him and myself. Our lineage to each other is deep and not forgiving. I am personally calling to see that he is stopped one way or another. That is why I know that you have kept up your martial arts and you have kept in shape."  
  
"You need a physical presence then," I pointed out obviously  
  
"Yes," he answered.  
  
I had been in fights and came out the better. I had been very good with weapons and even carried stars with me for protection. "You would look to continue these studies?"  
  
"Much, and even further the training of your choice."  
  
That intrigued me. He didn't care if I was a girl.  
  
Then I thought of the music, "and the band you are putting together?"  
  
"Rawhide is the piano man, and I have rhythm guitar. We are currently training a friend on keeping the beat on drums."  
  
"I prefer bass. Been playing off and on nights in the city with some friends. Cover work mostly."  
  
"So are you game to try this?" Buckaroo looked at me.  
  
"I need to consider it first. Your offer is very tempting."  
  
"Choices is what I offer." Buckaroo told me. I stopped and looked into the face of the man with a plan. Very seriously he looked at me.  
  
I answered him, "It's more like the path less traveled. Sounds like you are breaking new ground."  
  
"We are." he said with confidence..  
  
We went towards the parking lot and stopped by the jeep that I had seen earlier that week. I shook hands with them both again in departing.

"Call that number on the card with your decision. If you do consider, Rawhide will give the information that you'll need." Buckaroo said getting into the jeep.  
  


"I'll do that." I told him.  
  
Rawhide drove out of the parking lot. I watched them turn into traffic and leave. I turned and skated along the river walk thinking about the proposal that was just offered to me.  
  
************  
  
With little sleep, I knew what my decision was to be. Join these two men and see where it lead me. I checked out more information on Dr. Buckaroo Banzai. His bank account could fund the beginning of any endeavor he wanted. His published writings went from neurosurgery to crime psychology.  


He wanted to break society's rules and I wanted to be part of it.  
  
The next morning I packed my backpack and called the number on the card again.  
  
"Buckaroo Banzai's" the older lady's voice said.  
  
"Valerie Frenwick for Rawhide please."  
  


A few moments Rawhide was on the phone. "Ms. Frenwick." there was a glance of a smile in his voice. 'The man did smile.' I thought.  


"Yes, Rawhide, I was calling to say that I accept."  
  
"Glad to hear it."  
  
"I settled my account with the boarding house so...."  


"You are free to move. We live in a house on the outskirts of New Brunswick. An old Victorian." Rawhide gave her directions to the house and the address. "Takes about an hour depending on traffic."  


"On my way."  
  
**********  
  
I pulled into the driveway of the address that Rawhide had given me. The Jeep was in front of the garage to the back of the yard.   
  
Rawhide came out the front door to meet me. He eyed my mode of transportation. It wasn't unusual to have someone look at my slender body on the hulk of bike. I swung off the bike, taking my helmet off. I had strapped my back pack onto the back of the bike. Rawhide came down to me while I unstrapped my pack.  
  
"Nice machine," Rawhide commented.  
  
"Bought it at an auction not to long after leaving home."  
  
Rawhide took my pack from my hands. "That is all you have?" marveling how a female would have just a backpack of clothes.  
  


"I haven't had the need to have much, I have moved more than five times in the last year." I pointed out to him.  
  
We walked up to the front door and entered the house. We entered a foyer. To the left was the living room of the house. It was a large room with a family room to one side with a pool table in it. The kitchen could be seen beyond that, they apparently had knocked out a wall making the room was big.   
  
"We like open rooms, gets everyone involved plus for security reasons." I stored that last bit of information, 'security reasons.' To our right was a room that was bare to the walls. "Our proposed room for the computer center." Rawhide told me.

He then took me up the stairs. "Let me show you to your room" He stopped at the third door on our right. He opened it to show it's contents. A dresser, double bed, desk. "It's neutral, but you can add what you want." On the desk were a few items. He put my back pack down on the bed. "There is a personal credit card to buy what you need for your room, clothes and such. Another card to buy the computer and related items in the name of Buckaroo. Keys to the house and vehicles."

Rawhide showed me what Buckaroo had said yesterday about new identities. "One thing, when you join on with Buckaroo, you get a new name. Fresh start, no history."

"So what will that be?"  
  
"Buckaroo said you look like you wished you were a tomboy when you were growing up. Tommy Boy."  
  
I looked at Rawhide and thought for a moment that it did fit. I could mess with the best of them. I scrapped it out with two brothers. And could hold my own. This was going to be interesting. "Tommy Boy, sounds good," I told him.  
  
To me a new beginning, to see what I could do on my own. But I wasn't on my own, I was looking to be nurtured by two worldly men who saw prospect in me to achieve without berating me with words that I couldn't do it.  
  
To my new life.  
  
Cheers. 


End file.
